


Falling off the Saddle

by baekbuns (mumz)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Comedy, Horse Rider Baekhyun, Horseback Riding AU, KaiSoo as a side pairing, M/M, Polo Player Chanyeol, Romance, brief mention of LunaBer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 15:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15122009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mumz/pseuds/baekbuns
Summary: “There is a new rider in El Dorado. A new man.” The short-haired girl trilled in unmistakable excitement. “Rich too from what I heard. He’s a beginner though so perhaps not as rich as one would think. Just now, when we were coming out of the dressing rooms, Luna and I caught a glimpse of him, and I don’t think I can think of riding trousers quite  the same again.”(Or, that one time Baekhyun wanted to concentrate in his upcoming competition, and Chanyeol just wanted to ride his first horse)





	Falling off the Saddle

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to CBX Climb the Ladder's most recent episode, I decided to write this really short piece of thing because Horse Rider Baekhyun does Things™ to me and we need more Horseback Riding AUs in the world :> (and c'mon, Polo Player Chanyeol? /drools a fountain)

 

<><>

 

“You have the _worst_ taste in men. I swear.” Baekhyun snorted, fixing a strap of Mongryong’s breastplate as Jongin grunted in disagreement. “When he said he wanted a no-strings-attached fling, I’m pretty sure Kyungsoo meant exactly that. You’re the only idiot here getting caught up in this emotional cry fest.”

“Shut up. Is it so wrong to hope?” Jongin huffed. “You know Kyungsoo has never been the easy type. He’s like an ostrich egg. You gotta crack the outer shell real hard to get to the soft core.”

“Ew. And don’t make animal references! I’m on a no-meat diet, you insensible prick.”

Jongin turned around slowly and looked him up and down with as much judgment and disdain as possible. “Since _when_?”

“Since _today_.” Baekhyun pulled on the reins, pacing his Andalusian stallion into a slow, steady, four-beat gait before he haughtily replied. “We’re talking about you and your horrible men choices here, not my clear weight gain and eating life habits.”

It was a bright, warm day at El Dorado’s Polo and Equestrian Club. Summer could be felt all around the city, and the stables were full of sunbeams darting in and out, escaping through windows or getting caught in dark, crowded corners. The horses, despite the scorching heat, were thankfully mellow and docile under the good morning sun.

With competition season around the corner, riders were still on the field exercising with their horses for their respective classes, even as the faint aroma of butter and oregano wafted through the air and called their empty stomachs for lunch.

Baekhyun was a favorite for the Eventing competition after winning first place last year, giving El Dorado its first golden trophy in almost a decade. Eventing was a complex type of competition, encompassing dressage, cross-country riding and stadium jumping sessions that always required the highest level of proficiency, something that could only be achieved through an incredible amount of practice and discipline. Next season would be no different, if anything it would be twice as demanding, but even with their schedule so full, Baekhyun still liked Mongryong to get his well-deserved rest regularly.

The twenty-three year old competitor knew exactly the way his chestnut colored friend felt when he had had enough training for the day—his elegant hooves would make friction and an impatient edge would be stamped in his naturally quiet canter. In the presence of said signs, the experienced rider didn’t think twice before leading his big baby back inside the stables. Today there was nothing that indicated Mongryong was tired or stressed from their morning jumping session, but with the sun high above the cloudless sky and the unforgiving heat beating on their skin, they forwent the last hour of practice in favor of a slow-paced walk around the field.

And it seemed like the perfect opportunity as well to catch up on Jongin Kim’s tragic love story.

“He’ll come around. Soo might not be the brightest of the bunch in regards of feelings and communication skills, but he cares about you.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Either way, after what happened last night, I’m pretty sure he’s gonna avoid me like the plague for the next few days.” Jongin sighed, throwing his head back. The tanned male closed his eyes, enjoying the sudden exposure to the toasty warm sunlight as he loosened the fit of his riding helmet and tilted the cap back. “If he ever speaks to me again, of course. You should’ve seen him, poor thing was _terrified_ —I mean, he kinda ran off from my apartment in the middle of the night. Half naked.”

In that moment Taeyong Lee walked pass them in his gorgeous Arabian mare, breaking in the split of a second their conversation as he greeted and waved at them animatedly before clicking his tongue and digging the heel of his boots ever so gentle on the sides of the joyful pepper colored horse to spur her into a canter, quickly catching up with his fellow hunter riders just right across the field. During that moment of silence that followed through, Jongin proceeded to wipe the collecting beads of sweats from his forehead with model finesse, action that earned him a few interested stares from the other riders passing by. The entire affair was thoroughly unfair in Baekhyun’s humble opinion—Jongin was an immaculate picture even after a long morning of jumping practice. A distinguished trait one could only dream to possess. 

“And you just told him what, ‘I love you, I want us to be an official thing’ after doing the do?”

Jongin nodded, rubbing the back of his neck with soft pink hue adorning his cheeks. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Geez…and here I thought I had it rough with my nonexistent love life. Look, I want to believe Kyungsoo is more mature than _that_. It was just a love confession, not a wedding proposal.”

“He’s scared of commitment, Hyun. He _hates_ commitment. Soo made it clear the moment we decided to begin this sort of mutual partnership a year ago, and it was my own damn fault for growing fondness for him despite his warnings. I-- I need to be patient and wait for him to come around if I want to give us a chance.”

Baekhyun could only grunt back in response. What Jongin Kim knew about patience could fit in a box of marbles. That young lad was as restive as they made them. Kyungsoo Do, on the other hand, didn’t need patience. What that angry little man needed was for his Jongin to be snatched away by a hunky piece of man to _finally_ realize what he had right now in his hands and was so stupidly letting slip through his fingers for something as fickle as 'freedom'.

Wasn't love supposed to set your soul free?

From a distance, the aforementioned polo player was walking out of the nearest stable, holding his polo mallet over his shoulder as he rolled his eyes at whatever his fellow teammate Jongdae Kim was prattling about. Their faces were flushed pink from exhaustion, white slacks muddied from a long polo practice, and their leather half chaps kicked gravel and dust as they continued to walk down the dusty trail towards the main house.

The brunet suddenly shifted his eyes towards the field as if called, instantly catching sight of them, and the healthy pink of his blush was quick to turn into an angry shade of red as he locked eyes with Baekhyun's best friend. The painful exchange of stares lasted a few seconds that honestly felt like hours to the unofficial third-wheel before the fumbling polo player snapped out of his daze and briskly dragged his puzzled teammate towards the main house.

What a coward.

Biting back his preferred opinion about their senior’s childish behavior, Baekhyun flashed a sympathetic smile towards his lovesick best friend—busy at the moment staring with forlorn need at the retracting silhouette of his longtime crush—allowing his bare hand to pet and brush Mongryong’s soft, flaxen forelock while silence once more blanketed over them. As his dainty fingers weaved through tufts of soft hair, it was discernible that the mane was getting long by the loose knots and tangled ends, and with the upcoming heat, he was definitely considering a nice, loose braid for his companion.  

The blond rider was soon engaged in his task and thoughts, loving the way his four-legged friend’s tail swished lazily back and forth in response, before he was snapped back to reality seconds later by their other riding mate and friend walking in from their left side.

Sehun slowed down Vivi’s gait to match their own, noticing from the corner of his eyes the way the beautiful, pearl white Gypsy Vanner kept his soft pace two steps ahead, unconsciously showing off his natural lead horse traits.

“Where have you been? I thought you were gonna practice barrel racing today.”

“That was the plan, but Vivi was being pushy earlier today, so we decided to skip practice and spend the morning grooming this cutie.” Sehun’s neutral expression broke into a goofy smile as his spoiled horse nickered as if agreeing with his infatuated handler. “We might go chase some squirrels by the garden hills later if the weather’s still nice.”

“You spoil him too much.” Jongin warned. Long gone was the forlorn desire previously engraved in his face. Now, there was just fresh annoyance for their laid-back friend.

Sehun shrugged, unfazed. “I give my king what he deserves.”

They fell into a nice, unhurried pace after that, enjoying to brief period of calm around the field while they chattered about random matters. By then, the majority of the riders were enjoying a hearty meal at the main house diner, replenishing their energy banks for the upcoming afternoon practice.

As they walked along the field’s fence, they sort of ‘bumped’ into Sunyoung and Amber, both recently joined members of the club with beautiful dressage stallions under their care.

“Greetings Miss Liu, Miss Park.” Sehun bowed his head playfully, earning a snort and a soft laughter from both girls. “You’re both looking fancy and classy, like always.”

“Why, thank you Mr. Oh.” Amber made a show of flipping her non-existent long hair over her shoulder, batting her eyelashes at the snickering riders. “Me and milady here appreciate your kind words and totally not lecherous intentions.”

Both female riders seemed to be done for the day, already in their street clothes—a vintage, floral printed dress for Luna that highlighted her long legs and trim waist, and some fashionably ripped jeans and a Gucci printed t-shirt for Amber that made her natural beauty stand out. Both attires won Baekhyun’s instant approval at first glance.

It was no secret how much he enjoyed his time here in the elite equestrian club, amongst well-groomed horses and even better groomed riders—polo players aside. To Baekhyun, this pleasant, clean form of riding was far better than other, more violent sorts. Just the thought of sweat and mud made his button nose scramble up his face in distaste.

He was thoroughly plucked off his train of thoughts when Amber’s voice called him to attention.

“So, have you guys heard the news?” There was a clear buzz in her voice, even as her tone dove a few octaves lower to imprint mystery to her words.

“You’re always the first to know anything remotely interesting that happens around here Liu.” Jongin laughed, patting Monggu’s mane as the latter began to rock on his front legs, back and forth, out of boredom. The sun-kissed rider took his foot out of the right stirrup, standing in the left before swinging his leg back and hopping down the saddle, followed suit by the other two riders. These ‘news’ seemed interesting enough to be heard on ground. “But do tell us, I could use a good tidbit to get me through the day.”

Amber made a good show of her story, pointedly breaching the last few meters of space between them and leaning forward, most likely to hide from any nosy bystanders. Sunyoung, fondly called Luna by her closest friends, sighed with fond exasperation from the side, quietly following her crazy girlfriend’s footsteps.

“There is a new rider in El Dorado. A new man.” The short-haired girl trilled in unmistakable excitement. “Rich too from what I heard. He’s a beginner though so perhaps not as rich as one would think. Just now, when we were coming out of the dressing rooms, Luna and I caught a glimpse of him, and I don’t think I can think of riding trousers quite the same again.”

Sehun and Jongin shared a puzzled stare, not quite following the latter’s statement, and Baekhyun ventured to ask for further explanation. Luna threw them a look that was a mixture between apologetic and embarrassed, confusing them even more.

Amber leaned a little closer, placing a cupped palm over her mouth to hush her next words as a couple of sweaty polo players passed by a few meters away, lost in their own ruckus. The three now curious riders instinctively moved closer as well, their horses’ gaze following the movement as the attention quickly shifted towards the female human at close proximity.

“Something about his thighs,” Amber whispered, making a lewd gesture with her other hand around her lap. “They’re wide enough to _nest_ _in_ if you know what I mean.”

“Amber!” Sehun laughed loudly, soon joined by Jongin giggling like a maniac. “I thought you were allergic to the male species.”

“Shut up, Oh.” The girl rolled her eyes in good nature. “Yeah, I like girls and the thought of dating a dude doesn’t tickle my fanny, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good package when I see it. And _damn_ , was that a good one too.”

“Oh god.” Luna groaned under her breath, exploiting with embarrassment.

Baekhyun could feel a hot flush blossoming across his back, even if he was trying hard at the moment to keep his expressions neutral. It was difficult to pretend that he hadn’t been instantly ablaze with curiosity by this sudden piece of juicy gossip, but he managed to self-control in time, and the only visible sign he allowed to show was the subtle red tint to his pale skin—something appropriately aloof until he could be alone and free to indulge himself.

The news of having another man here, after months of seeing the same riders, was a pleasant surprise. El Dorado was known to be one of the most exclusive equestrian clubs around the country. Only through personal recommendations could wealthy candidates be placed in the already long waiting list for membership. The fact that they’ve had only a handful of new members over the last two years, and those being women nonetheless, made this piece of news even more welcoming.

Undoubtedly this new rider had some powerful influence—or a bottomless bank account—under his belt to make this happen so unexpectedly.

“What was he like? Did you talk to him?” Jongin pressed, saving Baekhyun the effort.

“Oh, no. We just saw him from a distance talking to Joonmyun, but he looked nice. Pushed back hair, dark ebony that glowed like raven feathers in the sun. It was difficult to keep my attention waist up. You’ll see why soon enough.”

Sehun and Jongin both broke into laughter at the sight of Luna’s disgruntled expression, the raucous sound slicing through the thick atmosphere. Amber circled a tattooed arm around the smaller girl’s waist and goofily grinned down to appease the still embarrassed female rider.

Baekhyun blinked back to reality as the teasing began and Luna made a noise of mock outrage as soon as her girlfriend started tickling her sides and peppering her exposed shoulder with kisses. After six months of knowing both girls, the blond rider had become used to Amber’s less than subtle ways of expressing herself, but today they were like a particularly bad itch. It made him want to see this man, befriend him at the earliest, and it also made him wonder if his black hair was too messy from the wind or perhaps if his tan had become stark and unattractive for hours of riding under the sun.

He quickly bid the two girls and his still snickering friends goodbye and hopped up his own horse, Mongryong letting out a low neigh at the action. Suddenly he was feeling anxious to be on the training fields again. It would be best to get grooming and lunch out of the way as soon as possible. He had something he needed to scratch—fast.

 

<><>

 

“Is that the new rider Amber was talking about…” Baekhyun whispered dumbfounded as a man who couldn’t be more than a few years older than him chased his horse around one of the large trainee fields.

And he wasn’t chasing just any horse, but Toben, the friendliest little Friesian around the stables. Except today he looked unusually restless, trotting away whenever the man reached too close and interrupted his slow, mouthy musing of the fresh grass. The new member for his part didn’t look any more outdoorsy despite his towering height and strong built, tripping every few feet with his helmet having rolled away long ago.

Sehun bit on the inside of his cheek to suppress laughter at the man’s failed attempt to lure his spooked horse in, ignoring the blond’s soft punch to his arm and the hushed ‘Shut up! He’ll hear you’. Jongin was caught up at the moment on the long, tedious process of grooming a playful Monggu, having promised to meet them later at the field. If he were here, Sehun would have no self-restrain to vocally mock and tease the flustered new rider. Those two, together, were a force to reckon with.

The stranger tripped on his own boots once again, Sehun snickered unhelpfully at his side, and the pitiful scene made Baekhyun sigh in defeat. He cupped his hands around his mouth and took a chance.

“Excuse me, do you need any help?”

His first shout rang loud and clear in the crisp noon air and the man began waving his arms emphatically in obvious relief at the offered assistance.

It was endearing in an odd way. Baekhyun was expecting a straight-backed, Roman-nosed heir—someone disarmingly charming, debonair and irresistible in a way that only money could buy. This man was the complete opposite, reminiscent of his playful and still elusive stallion.

Baekhyun was bursting with pride as Toben trotted up to him almost immediately at the first whistle and he gently caught his reins with a practiced hand once he was at arm’s length. He led the young horse up to the fallen helmet, tucking it under his arm as Sehun patted his thick black mane with fondness, action that earned him a cheerful nicker in response—it was no understatement that Toben really was one of the unclaimed favorites.

The seemingly friendly stranger was walking towards them now, a little out of breath but smiling brilliantly when he finally stood before them.

“Thank you so much,” He beamed, revealing strong, white teeth and cute dimples. “I didn’t think riding my first horse would be this hard.”

“The secret is in the legs.” Sehun grinned, patting his own thighs for emphasis.

“I bet it is.” The latter laughed, nodding in agreement. “Joonmyun said I should watch how the experienced riders do it before trying it myself, but—yeah, I’m too stubborn for my own good.”

“It’s alright. You’ll get the hang of it.” Baekhyun gave a measured shrug, keeping his face relaxed and open as Sehun merely offered a raised eyebrow at his suave demeanor.

Inside though his heart was already warming up for cartwheels even as his mind frantically erased the image it had been mantling thus far. This man wasn’t handsome—he was beautiful, in a weird way because his voice was deep but his tone was like honey and his eyes were dark but enchanting. That embarrassed quiver to his smile was coy in a way women couldn’t hope to rival. But then again, there was a bump in his khaki riding trousers that was definitely _all_ male.

“I’m Baekhyun Byun.” He stuck out a hand and flashed a friendly smile of his own, finally acknowledging the fact that this man was too adorable to make fun of, regardless of his lack of riding and limb coordination skills. “And this is my friend, Sehun Oh.”

His hand was then taken and shaken, just like his heart. “Chanyeol Park. I’m new here.”

“So we heard.” Sehun replied playfully as Baekhyun handed Chanyeol his helmet back, the three beginning to make their way to the stables. “Or should I say, so we _saw_.”

The embarrassed first timer chewed his plump bottom lip endearingly before letting out a little laugh, eyes locked on Baekhyun even as a soft blush spread over his cheeks. “Sorry you both had to see that. I didn’t want this to be your first impression of me.”

“The first time mounting is always the hardest.” Baekhyun answered, clearing his throat. “T-- That’s what I’ve heard.”

There was a flash of something unreadable in Sehun’s eyes when he noticed the new rider’s eyes placed intently on the pretty blond, hiding without success his glaring infatuation towards his oblivious friend. It was endearing, and to some degree awkward and laughable, which made him cough to break the atmosphere currently tensed out by the blatant one-sided attraction—or maybe not so one-sided from the looks of his friend’s abashed expression.

He promptly stopped and took a step back, body angled towards the main house much to Baekhyun’s dismay and Chanyeol’s innocent confusion.

“I just remembered I have to meet up with Jongdae at the main house for something. Sorry I have to leave like this.” Sehun smiled innocently, ignoring the glare the blond threw at him once he smelled his shameless lie. Jongdae had left hours ago. “I hope we can meet again soon Chanyeol. It was lovely meeting you.”

“Likewise.” The male bowed his head gently and offered a smile of his own. Baekhyun threw a clipped farewell in return and was left at the mercy of the ongoing encounter.

The silence that fell upon them after the departure of the mischievous man was thick and stiff, broken in short intervals by Toben’s low grunts, but the clammed up moment didn’t last long as the new rider continued to thank the experienced one for his helping hand.

“You don’t have to thank me.” Baekhyun waved his free hand dismissively, keeping a light grip on Toben’s reins as they kept walking around the field. “I couldn’t just leave you there after watching you struggle for that long.”

By then, they were the only people left, the once glowering sun just a mere orange spot at the horizon. It was getting late, and being alone with the charming stranger brought a fresh wave of nervous jitters up and down the smaller man’s back.

There was a pause filled with silence in which Chanyeol slowed his pace before his steps fell in tandem with the blond’s, surprising the latter completely by linking their arms with a flourish.

“Allow me to return the favor and drop you wherever you need then. I am now, in debt with you.” Chanyeol said smoothly, with the hint of a joke behind his smile, and Baekhyun fought down a grin. With a gentle animal in one hand and an even gentler man hooked to his other, he was mentally rejoicing every single time he decided to follow his father’s demands to stick with his riding lessons.

 

<><>

 

Over the next few months, Baekhyun got to know Chanyeol Park better and by the fourth he could safely say he didn’t think he knew the tall rider at all. The man, older than him by three years, was smart and courteous, sometimes raucous and unrelenting, and thoroughly competent off a horse. Or well, most of the time, except for those occasional moments gravity would fail him altogether and he would be falling, tripping, bumping into things like a newborn fawn and laughing his way nervously out of embarrassment.

Lucky for him, his laughter was just as adorable as the rest of him. This character fluctuation, it seemed to be a part of Chanyeol, like the way he would slide an arm around Baekhyun’s waist when he thought no one was looking just to maintain all the distance and protocol of a fellow rider the next second.

Everyone at El Dorado knew that Jongin, Kyungsoo, Sehun and a handful other members played for the same team, but no one actually knew Baekhyun was gay as well. He thought they would have to be pretty dense not to have figured it out now that Chanyeol was on the scene. In his presence, he left Baekhyun reduced just about to a more dignified fraction of a bumbling, first-love afflicted schoolgirl.

And for the first time in _years_ , Mongryong found himself neglected, as Baekhyun’s non-riding time would be spent with his new riding comrade, helping the older one in his battle with horse riding. Even when the small, blond rider was on his gorgeous Andalusian exemplar, his body would be twisted towards Chanyeol, automatically redirecting itself towards the inexperienced rider. Whether the raven haired man was trotting next to him or perfecting the beginner’s trail, Baekhyun would be tilted ever so slightly to the right even when he rode laps around the field alone, and everyday stupid Sehun and stupid Jongin—now happy that stupid Kyungsoo had come around and reciprocated his stupid feelings—would joke around on how his walk would end up like that too.

Of course Amber was not to be left behind. The intuitive polo player had it all figured out without having been given any explicit information first hand. Baekhyun wasn’t surprised about that, and every day he tried not to be fazed by the way she would constantly tease him about Chanyeol despite her girlfriend’s constant chastising.

“He’s awkward on that horse unlike you because he’s bigger—you know, he’s taller, his thighs, his ass, everything. I’m sure you’ve noticed, Hyun, Chanyeol’s just _huge_.” She would smirk lewdly at him across the table at lunch, all manners and elegance momentarily forgotten before she would hurry to correct herself before anyone noticed anything weird. “I mean his build, of course.”

”Of course.” Baekhyun would return dryly because he could bet his best riding boots that every one in El Dorado, human and horse, had noticed by then just how ‘large-built’ Chanyeol was.

 

<><>

 

By the end of winter, it was just frustrating to watch Chanyeol’s cautious handling of Baekhyun’s wide range of flirting tactics and his even wider range of innuendos.

Now that their time together had been reduced to scarce moments split throughout the week due to the miracle of Kyungsoo agreeing to train Chanyeol to become part of the polo team, a crestfallen Baekhyun had finally taken it upon himself to act on his feelings. There was no denying it now: he was falling head over heels for the polo apprentice. Sadly, he was still doubtful about the other one’s intentions.

They were stuck at this awkward not-quite-friends stage because the oblivious man would be ever the polite gentleman at any hints the desperate blond dropped towards being something _more_. Much to everyone’s surprise, Baekhyun’s pants got tighter despite the unforgiving temperatures, his hair got silkier and his voice steadily climbed down the octaves, all as an attempt to lure the fine male specimen in, but Chanyeol batted away these hints with his large, gorgeous hands. Hands that were currently locked around Baekhyun’s waist—again.

“Hey, you, stay away from me and Mongryong, you’re like a bad omen around horses.”

“Hyun,” Chanyeol blinked his lovely wide eyes slowly, backing away while splaying a hand over his heart. “I’m hurt. You don’t trust me at all. Even Kyungsoo trusts me now! Even when he wants to kill me with his mallet half the time.”

“You don’t deserve to be trusted.”

Chanyeol pouted, placing his hands over the blond’s lean waist once more. He squeezed Baekhyun’s sides in a way that made the latter’s heart do summersaults, and despite the ruckus inside his ribcage he tried to play it cool as the taller one locked eyes with the disinterested horse being currently groomed. “You hear that Mongryong? Can you believe this injustice?”

Baekhyun shoved him back playfully as he rubbed a soft palm against Mongryong’s nose, his heart pulsing with affection for his longest friend. With his strong chestnut mane and finely shaped legs, his four-legged baby was one of the most sought after horses at El Dorado. He hoped that they would be able to compete together and do their best at the upcoming spring competition. For this he worked him hard and groomed him well, and Chanyeol Park was an immediate threat to his efforts. The latter still couldn’t stay fifteen minutes on a horse without a disaster in the offing—although he _could_ agree that he had definitely polished his riding skills after being placed under Kyungsoo’s wing.

But he had this magical ability to transform Baekhyun’s will to do anything productive into glittering, lovesick confetti, and that alone placed him first in his book of dangerous hazards that should be avoided at all costs.

“You’re too good for your own good. You should have more faith in me and my awesome riding skills.”

“You’ve never given me one reason to do that. Toben has it rough.” Baekhyun couldn’t help laughing at Chanyeol’s exaggerated pout. “But being honest here, yeah I might be a good rider, but I wouldn’t be anywhere without Mongryong.”

Chanyeol followed the smaller one’s fond gaze directed to his friend and nodded.

“He’s wonderful.”

Baekhyun was like a proud parent as he beamed back, hand brushing the luscious mane with tenderness.

“I don’t think I would want to continue with this if I couldn’t have him as my horse.” He admitted. The mere thought made his stomach turn sour.

Chanyeol leaned against the edge of the stall and caught his gaze instantly, a deliberate move that went without hitch.

“Well,” He began. “Whenever you want, I hope you know you’re more than welcome to ride me.”

Days of expectation left Baekhyun in a rush as he spluttered internally and pinched the skin on Chanyeol’s forearm hard.

He felt distinctly violated—yet, he’d never felt better.

 

<><>

 

Spring competition had been hard. Even with the amount of hours spent practicing and perfectioning every single detail, every walk and every jump, the international event was always a grueling duel between _le crème de la crème_ of the equestrian world. More times than not, Baekhyun found himself at the verge of quitting with the amount of pressure placed over his shoulder. Having El Dorado’s reputation in his hands was a privilege as well as a curse.

Over the course of three days, his world had been placed on hold as he made his way through all three events, heart bursting through the seams every time he had to wait for the final scores that would win him a slot at the next round. His friends, family and now boyfriend of one month had been a great source of support through the exhausting rounds.

This year’s competition had been particularly tough, as the amount of participants had doubled last year’s and the weather had been quite unforgiving throughout the last weeks prior to the grand event. But he had stayed true to what he had said months before on a chilly winter evening. He might be good, but he would be nothing without Mongryong, and that beautiful golden trophy now resting atop El Dorado’s highest shelf was clear proof of that statement.

The competition season was over, but Spring was in full bloom, and the smell of morning dew and blooming flowers was sweet and stagnant in the air at the early hours of the morning, the fragrance permeating through the stable as horses grunted low, still sound asleep at early dawn.

“He-- he’s watching us, I just, can you  _stop_  doing this here!” Baekhyun fought back a moan. He was pushed up against the wall, legs wrapped around Chanyeol’s hips as wide-blown pupils locked with a glimmering black pair. Mongryong’s.

After spending almost seven days checking up the small, rounded proud flesh healing well on his horse's left hock, it had become quite the habit for the worried rider to visit his friend just before sunrise every day, even as the veterinarian had finally given Mongryong his last wound treatment three days ago. Chanyeol had offered his company by the second day of treatment, when the wound was still fresh and granulating fast, and despite his numerous attempts to coax the older one not to, the polo player was adamant to stay by his side and accompany him through the tedious task of cleaning and dressing the wound day and night.

Having the latter by his side had been a tremendous source of moral support for Baekhyun despite failing to voice it out loud, and by the sixth day, Chanyeol had taken it upon himself to keep him company and well entertained in... other ways. And now, even as Mongryong had been discharged of treatment, the habit of meeting up at the stables before the rest of the riders arrived was not dying out any time soon.

Chanyeol hummed against his neck and continued licking it in little, soft strokes. Baekhyun had fought this battle way too many times by now and it was still a lost cause. He gave up and shifted into a more comfortable position, grabbing the latter’s bicep when teeth gripped his skin roughly and pulled.

Baekhyun squeaked loudly, tugging Chanyeol’s head back by a fistful of hair.

“Don’t leave a mark, you animal!”

Mongryong whined at the commotion and Chanyeol grinned, his eyes shinning bright even with the lack of natural light inside the stall.

“Animal? Not me. Unless you want me to be--”

Voices at a distance pierced through the air, most likely some riders wanting to start their horse grooming as early as possible. At the clear sound, both males drew in a sharp breath and froze in fear before a loud, wet fart from one of the nearby horses broke the silence and had them bursting in laughter. The voices grew louder in a few seconds, it almost sounded like a group of three or four riders, and the sneaky couple fell quiet once again with snickers and chuckles smothered by robbed kisses in the dark.

“You’re gonna get us in trouble one day.” Baekhyun whispered, grabbing Mongryong’s brush as his boyfriend hugged his smaller body from behind.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” Chanyeol smiled, kissing the side of his head softly. “I am in debt with you, remember?”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes at the latter’s overly sweet answer, keeping his eyes focused on the task at hand as his face lit bright red in embarrassment. Despite the chilly morning air, he felt extremely warm inside. Content. Secured. And for the first time in his life, he felt taken care of.

 

 


End file.
